Jamia Masjid resumes Friday prayers after 10-week hiatus

Congregational prayers were allowed at the historic Jamia Masjid here on Friday after remaining barred for 10 consecutive weeks, officials said.
“The Friday prayers were allowed and concluded without any disturbance,” an official said.
However, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who delivers the Friday sermons at the grand mosque, was not allowed to move out of his residence in the Nigeen area of the city.

The congregational prayers had remained barred for 10 weeks because of apprehensions of protests against the Israeli action in Gaza.
In a statement, Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid, the managing body of the mosque, expressed resentment over the administration’s decision of not allowing the Mirwaiz to carry out his “official religious responsibilities”.

“Mirwaiz was not allowed to carry out his official religious responsibilities and authorities did not provide any reason for such restrictions,” the statement said.
The Auqaf said that “detaining the Mirwaiz for the 11th consecutive Friday is a serious concern for the Anjuman Auqaf as well as the people whose emotions and sentiments are getting hurt by such arbitrary action of the administration”.